Largely misunderstood and occasionally feared, Western Lowland Gorillas are truly lovely, rather docile creatures. Sadly, the only hope that may remain for the survival of these noble animals is the protection offered by preserves and zoos.

Western Lowland Gorillas live in family groups in which the oldest silverback male is dominant. At maturity, young males will leave the group to wander alone or form their own groups with unattached females. The Western Lowland Gorilla becomes most active in the morning, when it searches for food. Despite their powerful appearances, Western Lowland Gorillas are vegetarians! They feed on bulbs, shoots, leaves, fruits, and even tree bark at times. Occasionally, they will eat termites or ants. They spend the early afternoon eating the food they have collected before napping while any baby gorillas play. Although Western Lowland Gorillas are usually non-aggressive, troops may occasionally confront each other in the wild. The male is the protector of the troop, and will rear up on his hind legs, roar, and beat his chest. If this display fails to drive off the aggressor, the male Western Lowland Gorilla will drop onto all four feet and charge toward the threat. Generally it will simply run by, intimidating the aggressor, and typically will not physically attack. One troop of Western Lowland Gorillas will usually defend a home range of nine to 14 square miles. Although they are social animals and love spending time with each other, Western Lowland Gorillas do not like to groom each other. They usually live about 35 years, although they have been known to live as long as 50 years!

At maturity, Western Lowland Gorillas may be up to six feet tall and may weigh as much as 450 pounds. Females are about a foot shorter and weigh about half of what a male weighs. They are very powerful animals, with strong necks, hands, feet, and chests. The Western Lowland Gorilla is covered in thin hair, which is usually black, red-brown, gray, or brown in color. The face is bare, with a prominent jutting brow bone and flared nostrils. At sexual maturity, male gorillas acquire silver hair over the areas of their backs and thighs.

The Western Lowland Gorilla ranges throughout western Africa. They are native to low altitude tropical forests. Western Lowland Gorillas are endangered for a variety of reasons. Their habitats are being destroyed and because people are sometimes frightened by the gorillas' aggressive displays, they shoot them. Western Lowland Gorillas have also been shot out of sport and for meat. The famous gorilla Koko is just one a large number of these animals, very closely related to humans, used in scientific studies. Koko was taught to use sign language.

In captivity, Western Lowland Gorillas eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and cuttings from various leafy plants. They are also fed yogurt, vitamin and mineral supplements, leaf-eater biscuits, and non-fat milk!

Female Western Lowland Gorillas reach sexual maturity at about seven years of age, and males mature later, around ten or 11 years of age. The estrus cycle lasts between 26 and 30 days, and breeding is not seasonal, rather occurring at virtually any time during the year. The gestation period is usually between eight and nine months. Although twins are not unknown, a single birth is normal. At birth, the Western Lowland Gorilla weighs between three and five pounds and is completely helpless. By three months of age, the baby gorillas can crawl and are generally carried on their mothers' backs until they are about four years old. When it can walk, it usually acquires a white patch of hair on its rump that will darken as it matures and is usually completely gone when the baby Lowland Gorilla is weaned at three years of age.